North Greece Fire District1766 Latta RoadRochester, New York 14612

Non-Profit Org.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDRochester, N.Y.

Permit #51

FALL 2017“We’re here when you need us.”

Balloons, Fire Hats, Stickers, Dress Up in FF Gear, Safety House, Vehicle Extrication Demonstration,

Fire Trucks, NYS Police Exhibit, and Much More.

Station #1, 645 North Greece Road

OCTOBER 15th, 2017 • 1-4 P.M.

Save The Date! Fire District Budget HearingWhen: Tuesday, October 17th @ 6:00 p.m.Where: NGFD Headquarters-Station #2 (1766 Latta Rd.)

Fire District Commissioner Election*When: Tuesday, December 12th @ 2:00-9:00 p.m.Where: NGFD Headquarters-Station #2 (1766 Latta Rd.)

*All registered voters residing in North Greece Fire District are eligible to vote. Must register by 11/20/17.

You’re Invited

We would like to invite the public to the North Greece Fire District’s annual Open House that will

be held on Sunday October 15, 2017. The Open House will be from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM at NGFD Station 1 (located at 645 North Greece Road). This event, which coincides with the national Fire Prevention Week, gives the district the chance to show our supporters what services we have to offer them. There will be many at-tractions and things to do and see. Among them are: • Various fire apparatuses including our ladder truck!• Rescue tool / rescue air bag demonstration• “Sparky the Firedog” • Free giveaways of stickers, plastic helmets, pencils,

and more• Free refreshments• The chance to spray water from a fire hose at a wooden “house”• NGFD Fire Safety House• Much, much more!

Come out and see what our district has to offer you in the way of fire prevention and protection! It will be fun and informative for the whole family!

OPEN HOUSECome to North Greece Fire Department’s

NGFD OPEN HOUSE 2017 By Peter A. Sidari, Fire Safety Educator

Keeping Your Family Safe During Storms and Natural DisastersBY: Karie O’Gara, NGFD Fire & Life Safety Educator

Living in Upstate New York brings about changeable weather, and an increased need for storm preparedness. Over the

past several years, Rochester has seen ice storms, heavy winter storms, devastating wind storms, and flooding. The following are tips to help your family stay safe in the event of a storm or natural disaster:

• Prepare an emergency supply kit:* Include bottled water, 1 week’s worth of prescription medica-tion, non-perishable food, blankets, batteries, flashlight, pet food, and a prepared list of pet friendly hotels and shelters

• Always have working Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Detectors• Never use the oven to heat the home• Use heating equipment safely with correct fuel only• Keep anything that can burn, at least 3 feet away from heating sources, such as por-

table heaters; This is also known as a “Kid Free Zone”• Do not sleep with portable heaters turned on• Make sure fireplaces and woodburning stoves have a sturdy screen placed in front of

the open fire• Cool ashes before putting them outside in a metal container a safe distance away

from any structure• Never leave an open flame unattended• Know how to disconnect the gas, water, and electric if you must evacuate your home• Make sure your vehicle has been winterized with snow tires and a small emergency

kit with extra winter clothing and blankets• Keep laundry vents clear of snow and ice build up• Never operate a generator inside of a structure; the generator must be as far away as

possible, but at least 10 feet to prevent carbon monoxide from entering the structure• In the event of an emergency please call 9-1-1

Practice Fire Safety Drills In Your HomeOctober is National Fire Safety Month and North Greece Fire District would like to

take the opportunity to remind everyone about the importance of practicing fire drills in the home. Every 86 seconds a home fire happens, yet many families are unsure of what to do when the smoke alarm goes off. We encourage every family to make and practice their fire escape plans, during the month of October and throughout the year.• Every home should have working smoke alarms on every level, especially in or near

sleeping areas• Smoke alarms should be tested once a month and the batteries changed twice a

year• Currently on the market there are 10 year smoke alarms, meaning it is replaced

every 10 years but should be inspected once a month• Carbon Monoxide alarms should be replaced every 7 years and inspected once a

month• Have two ways out of every room of the home• A rescue ladder is recommended for 2-3 story homes if a window may be a possible

means of escape • Have one meeting place in front of the home• Call 9-1-1 from a neighbor’s house• Never go back inside of a burning building for anything! Let the firefighters know if

someone is trapped inside Being prepared is the first step in keeping you and your family safe from unforeseen events. Having an emergency supply kit easily accessible can help to ease the burden when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Make and practice home fire drills in the event of a fire. Call 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency. “Our Family Keeping Your Family Safe”

NORTH GREECE FIRE DISTRICT

The first 8-months of 2017 have proven to be a very

busy yet productive time for the line firefighting operations and training programs at North Greece. To date, the District has responded to just under 2,500 calls with 52% of these calls requests for emergency medical services (EMS). Current projections estimate North Greece will respond to approximately 3,750 calls for service by the end of the year.

January brought about not only a new year but the promotion of four new career fire lieutenants and the promotion of two new volunteer fire lieutenants. Congratulations are extended to Lieutenants Bryan Adam, Jeff Gates, Frank Lombardo and John Williams and to new volunteer Lieutenants Matt Brown and Jeff Kridel. Each of these new line officers bring added value to their respective groups and to the future of this organization! Congratulations lieutenants!

January also brought the start of eight new career firefighters at North Greece. Please join me welcoming Firefighters Sean Ancker, Adam Ball, Mike Castronovo, Tyler Connelie, Thomas Cottorone, Brian Goodness, Aaron Horowitz and Jon Nelson! All new firefighters completed initial recruit firefighter training at North Greece and then were successful completing the Recruit Firefighter Training Program at the State Fire Academy in May. Welcome aboard!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank our firefighters, line officers, fire police and auxiliary for the outstanding work from the March 8th Windstorm and snow storm which followed. During this period, North Greece

personnel responded to over 300 calls for service including wires, power poles, signals and trees down and a wide variety of dangerous conditions. In addition, our personnel responded and assisted in a town-wide shelter at the Greece Community Center. A special thank you to the North Greece Fire Police for their extended assignments on roadways throughout the district and their assistance to the responding power company personnel! Solid work everyone, thank you!

Last, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the North Greece Volunteer Firefighters and Fire Police members. In recent months, many changes have been implemented, including the establishment of one fire station for volunteer responses, the new focus on Rescue-278 as the primary response vehicle for our Volunteer members, numerous changes to the training curriculum and training culture. While we all realize that change is sometimes difficult, I think everyone will agree these changes will ultimately make North Greece a stronger fire department who brings a great amount of added value to the community we serve and protect. A special thanks to the volunteer deputy chief, assistant chief and line officers for being great change agents and for working so hard to make these transitions happen efficiently.

While the first 8-months of 2017 have been challenging and very busy, I look forward to new challenges and opportunities in the coming months as we continue to work hard to make North Greece Fire the finest fire agency in Monroe County. It goes without saying that I’m very proud to be working with such a talented group of fire professionals, both volunteer and career. Thanks to everyone for their service.

Chief DeRosa

Page 2 North Greece Fire District - “We’re here when you need us!”

FR

OM

TH

E C

HIE

F...2017 Line Officers

ChiefSamuel J. DeRosa

Deputy ChiefPaul McManus

Assistant ChiefPatrick Meyers

District CaptainsKevin Battaglia

Kris HelferGregg Knapp

William Lawrence

District LieutenantsBryan Adams

Stephen CarterJohn CoppetaDan Dickerson

Jeff GatesJason KleinJoe Lissow

Frank LombardoDean MeyersJohn Norman

John ShortTodd Smith

John Williams

Volunteer CaptainsDon Dugan

Volunteer LieutenantsMatt BrownJeff Kridel

Fire PoliceCaptain Keith MeyerLieutenant Jim Dill

Sergeant at Arms Phil Davola

Department Administrative

OfficersPresidentAl Camp

Vice PresidentGregory Laskowski

Sergeant at ArmsPhil Davola

DirectorsRick Douglas, Chairman

Mike Beaty, Vice-ChairmanDoug Bartell

Rick DelvecchioMark Neusatz

Ladies Auxiliary Co-PresidentsNancy AdamsJohni Wegner

District Officers

CommissionersAlan DeCarlo, Chairman

Linda Andreano, Vice-ChairJoe Camiolo

Mike MacKenzieJoe Meath

AdministrationWalt Bedford, TreasurerKari Dutton, Secretary

Tina Gretzinger, Human ResourcesKen Preston, Deputy Treasurer

Photo CreditsJoe Camiolo

Samuel DeRosa

Your vote truly

matters in this

election. Please

save the date. We look forward

to seeing you!

SAVE THE DATE TO VOTE in 2017by Linda Andreano, Fire Commissioner

The Board of Fire Commissioners provides financial and administrative oversight

for the Fire District. They also set the fire tax rate that is assessed on resident’s tax bills.

Commissioners are each elected to a five-year term. Every year, Fire District elections are on the 2nd Tuesday in December. The incumbent commissioner may decide to run for re-election or retire from their position. This year, on 12/12/2017, the NGFD will host a regular election from 2-9pm. Simply stop by the firehouse at 1766 Latta Rd. It takes just a few minutes to cast your vote for this important role. Do you have the skills to serve on our Board? A successful Commissioner is responsible to read, forecast, and plan their assigned section(s) of the budget. They are adept with computers or tablets, smart phones, and common software programs. They can read and analyze financial reports for monthly audits and

approvals. They understand and can be trained to follow the sections of NYS law that govern Fire Districts. They can follow the Robert’s Rules of Order and conduct themselves professionally per the NYS Open Meetings Law. They can work cooperatively with internal staff, the Chief’s office, and all other personnel. They may at times represent the District in an official capacity alongside other agency leaders in ceremonies, and more. Fire Commissioners are not required to be former fire fighters or Chiefs, but general knowledge of Fire District operations and federal guidelines is very helpful. No fewer than two meetings per month are required for the minimum duties of a Fire Commissioner. Occasional conflicts may require a necessary absence, but multiple absences negatively affect the Board and staff. If you decide to run for this election, you must be a resident elector (registered voter) of the North Greece Fire District.

TO RUN FOR THIS ELECTION

Declare your intent to the District Secretary KDutton@northgreecefd.com

Obtain 25 or more petition signatures from NGFD residentsSubmit your petition by the deadline November 22, 2017Remember to vote on election day, December 12, 2017

Not registered to vote? It’s fast and easy to register online!

Go to the NYS DMV website at www.dmv.org, or type www.dmv.org/ny-new-york/voter-registration.php

Complete the form more than 30 days prior to the election to be eligible to vote.

DECEMBER 12, 2017, 2-9 pmVote at 1766 Latta Rd

You MUST be a registered voter in the NGFD area.

North Greece Fire District - “We’re here when you need us!” Page 3

By Peter A. Sidari, Fire Safety Educator

Fire Prevention Week: OCTOBER 8-14, 2017

Prevention Starts with You! Ninety-six percent of homes in the United States have at least one smoke alarm. However, only three-quarters of all homes have at least one working smoke alarm.* Almost two-thirds of reported home fire deaths in 2003-2006 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.*

* Source: National Fire Protection Association

Once again, the North Greece Fire District will participate in Fire Prevention Week which is October 8-14 this year.

This is the time of year when fire departments throughout the country stress the many important safety tips that go along with fire prevention. Here is a quick history on Fire Prevention Week and how it started. Fire Prevention Week started in 1922 to recall the “Great Chicago Fire” of October 8-9, 1871. This terrible fire

burned in Chicago for several days. More than 17,400 buildings were destroyed or damaged, and over 250 people lost their lives. In 1922, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) decided to commemorate this event by naming the week that contains the October 9th date to be known as “Fire Prevention Week.” Since 1957, the NFPA has added a particular theme to go along with this special week. Themes over the past years have included: “Prevent Kitchen Fires!”, “When Fire Strikes, Get Out! Stay Out!”, and “Fire Won’t Wait…Plan Your Escape.” This year’s theme is “Every Second Counts / Have 2 Ways Out!” The theme this year talks about such a very important issue. As part of a “home fire escape plan” it is imperative that there be a second way out of every room in the house, especially bedrooms and sleeping areas! If the first way is blocked by smoke and/or fire, a second way can be used. This can be a door, but typically (especially in bedrooms and sleeping areas) it may be a window. Part of a home fire escape plan teaches everyone (especially children) how windows open and how screens come out. It is important to keep something in each bedroom to break a window (baseball bat, golf club, etc.) in the event that the window doesn’t open. Breaking a window should be a last resort as the broken glass creates a new hazard. Also as part of a home fire escape plan, a fire rescue ladder may be needed if a bedroom window is too high for a person to drop from. Rescue ladders can be found in local stores or online. If you buy one, it should be a reusable one that family members can practice with from time to time. Having a home fire escape plan (working smoke alarms, two ways out, and a meeting place out front) can be a lifesaver! Please join us as we host our main event to commemorate Fire Prevention Week 2017. We invite all of you to our annual Open House on Sunday October 15th from 1:00 PM until 4:00 PM, which will be held at our Station 1 at 645 North Greece Road (the southwest corner of N.Greece Rd. and Latta Rd.).

CAREER-INSTALLATIONS Fire Chief-Samuel DeRosa

FIREFIGHTERSAdam BallMike CastronovoTyler Connelie Sean AnckerThomas Cottorone Brian GoodnessAaron HorowitzJon Nelson

CAREER PROMOTIONSLt. Bryan AdamsLt. Jeffery Gates Lt. Frank LombardoLt. John Williams

VOLUNTEERSINSTALLATIONSBrian Pennington- Fire PoliceTom Emerson- Fire Police

VOLUNTEERPROMOTIONSLt. Matt BrownLt. Jeff Kridel

NEW BOARD OF DIRECTOR MEMBERSRick DouglasDoug BartellRick Delvecchio

NEW BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONER MEMBERSMike MacKenzie

Congratulations to the following North Greece Personnel

If you have any questions regarding fire safety, please contact our office of Fire and Life Safety at 581-5430.

 

The North Greece Fire District participated with the local school districts to provide assistance with their educational programs during the 2016-2017 school year. The Collision Repair Class from BOCES 2 was able to do light body work to the Crown

Victoria reducing district maintenance costs.

Page 4 North Greece Fire District - “We’re here when you need us!”

NGFD DirectoryEMERGENCY: 911Business Line: 865-2887Volunteer Recruitment: www.NorthGreeceFD.comFire Safety Programs: 581-5430Car Seat Installations: 581-5428Fireman’s Field Pavilion: 392-7083 or www.NorthGreeceFD.com

File of Life, Smoke Detector and CO Detector Programs:

585-234-0699 or www.local3827.org

Check out our website for much more information:

www.NorthGreeceFD.com

It takes someone with a desire to do something important for the community;someone with courage and dedication, who isn’t afraid of hard work,

and is willing to accept the challenge of a difficult job.

If you’re this kind of person, you’re needed as a volunteer firefighter.We might be able to fit you with a pair of boots.It takes someone with a desire to do something important for the community;

someone with courage and dedication, who isn’t afraid of hard work,and is willing to accept the challenge of a difficult job.

If you’re this kind of person, you’re needed as a volunteer firefighter.We might be able to fit you with a pair of boots.

Can you fill these boots?It takes a special person to fill the boots

of a volunteer firefighter.

Did you know you can register your mobile phone for emergency alerts? The 911 Center can notify residents of Monroe County by home phone or now by mobile phone in case of emergency. Your hard-wired home phone is automatically registered with 911, but now you may register you mobile phone as well. If Police or Fire Officials need to notify you in case of an emergency in your area we will call your home phone and if you have registered your mobile phone we can either call or text your mobile phone with information about the incident as well. Want to sign up to receive alerts?• Go to www.monroecounty.gov• Click on “911 cell phone registration” under the “Top Online Services” banner. Those who had previously registered with the Hyper-Reach Emergency Telephone Notification System have been transferred to the “CodeRED” alert system.

Looking for an idea

for your next community, classroom, or employee meeting?

Why not host a Fire Prevention training session. Call the North Greece Fire Department at 581-5430 for information.

Winners In Annual Fire Safety Poster Contest!By Peter A. Sidari, Fire Safety Educator

This past spring, we held our annual fire safety poster contest. This is a longstanding tradi-tion at North Greece. Students from 8 elementary schools were eligible to participate and

design posters with any fire safety theme that they wished. We had three groups that were judged by our panel. The following were the poster contest winners in each group (followed by the grades that are in each group):

GROUP 1 (Grades 1 and 2) 1st Place: Nashaly Carrasquillo (Winner of a $100 gift card to Toys R Us)2nd Place: Isaiah Bell (Winner of a $50 gift card to Toys R Us)3rd Place: Myles Honan (Winner of a $25 gift card to Toys R Us)

GROUP 2 (Grades 3 and 4)1st Place: Madalena Scrivens (Winner of a $100 gift card to Toys R Us)2nd Place: Josiah Dueker(Winner of a $50 gift card to Toys R Us)3rd Place: Dominic Manioci (Winner of a $25 gift card to Toys R Us)

GROUP 3 (Grade 5)1st Place: Henry Cahoon(Winner of a $100 gift card to Toys R Us)2nd Place: Taylor Wilson (Winner of a $50 gift card to Toys R Us)3rd Place: Gianna DeFante (Winner of a $25 gift card to Toys R Us)

All nine winners and their families were honored at an award luncheon in June. We will continue to bring the fire and life safety message to families throughout the Greece area through our poster contest, and look forward to choosing the winners for 2018!

Residential Knox Box Program

The North Greece Fire District has made use of commercial Knox Boxes within our Fire District for nearly two decades.

Commercial Knox Boxes allow business owners to secure their building keys within a Knox Box mounted on the exterior of their business. The Fire Department can open the Knox Box with a unique key we carry, giving us access to a business keys for off hour emergencies. Recently, the manufacturer of commercial Knox Boxes introduced a residential version of a Knox Box. The Fire District

has chosen to support the use of residential Knox Boxes within our Fire District. So, what is a residential Knox Box and who would it benefit? Simply put, a residential Knox Box is a virtually indestructible safe that is mounted near the front door of a residence. The safe is designed to hold entry keys to your home. A secured key is carried on all North Greece Fire District apparatus which opens this safe. In the event of a medical emergency, fire alarm activation, or other emergency, Fire and Medical personnel can enter your home using a key, reducing costly damage in cases where we need to force our way into a home. Individuals that may benefit from the use of a Knox Box are the elderly, handicapped, users of fall protection systems, and anyone else that may be unable to open a door in the event of a medical emergency. Medical emergencies are the most common situation that result in the need for the Fire Department to force entry into a home. A residential Knox Box can be ordered by contacting the manufacturer at 1-855-438-5669 or at the following website: https://www.knoxhomebox.com/community If using the website, simply select your State, City, and Zip Code. The website will then allow you to select a box of your choosing. Residential Knox Boxes typically cost around $175. The Fire Department will automatically be notified of your purchase. Once you have received your box and installed it, you may contact the Fire Department at 581-5400 ext. 223. The Fire Department will come to your home to secure your house keys in the box. Residential Knox Boxes offer a secure, reliable method to allow Fire and Medical personnel access to your home in the event of an emergency. Should you have any questions, please free to contact Lieutenant Dickerson at DDickerson@Northgreecefd.com or call the Fire Department at 581-5400 ext. 223.

It takes someone with a desire to do something important for the community;someone with courage and dedication, who isn’t afraid of hard work,

and is willing to accept the challenge of a difficult job.

If you’re this kind of person, you’re needed as a volunteer firefighter.We might be able to fit you with a pair of boots.

USE “911” FOR ALL EMERGENCIES

It is very important to use “911” when calling for emergency assistance. It has come to our attention

that many homes and businesses have outdated information posted with a 7 digit phone number listed

to reach the Fire District in an emergency. Please dispose of these numbers and use only “911” for

emergency calls. The life it saves could be your own.

By Dan Dickerson